Optical proximity sensors, such as the AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES™ HSDL-9100 surface-mount proximity sensor, the AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES™ APDS-9101 integrated reflective sensor, the AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES™ APDS-9120 integrated optical proximity sensor, and the AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES™ APDS-9800 integrated ambient light and proximity sensor, are known in the art. Such sensors typically comprise an integrated high efficiency infrared emitter or light source and a corresponding photodiode or light detector, and are employed in a large number of hand-held electronic devices such as mobile phones, Personal Data Assistants (“PDAs”), laptop and portable computers, portable and handheld devices, amusement and vending machines, industrial or sanitary automation machinery and equipment, contactless switches, and the like.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a prior art optical proximity sensor 10 comprising infrared light emitter 16, light emitter driving circuit 31, light detector or photodiode 12, light detector sensing circuit 34, metal housing or shield 18 with apertures 52 and 54, and object to be sensed 60. Light rays 15 emitted by emitter 16 and reflected as light rays 19 from object 60 (which is in relatively close proximity to optical proximity sensor 10 and within the detection range thereof) are detected by photodiode 12 and thereby provide an indication that object 60 is close or near to sensor 10.
As further shown in FIG. 1, optical proximity sensor 10 further comprises metal housing or shield 18 formed of metal and comprising apertures 52 and 54 located over light emitter 16 and light detector 12, respectively, such that at least a first portion of light 15 emitted by light emitter 16 passes through aperture 52, and at least a second portion of the first portion 19 of light reflected from object 60 in proximity to sensor 10 passes through aperture 54 for detection by light detector 12. As shown, metal housing or shield 18 may further comprise first and second modules 61 and 63 within which light emitter 16 and light detector 12 are disposed, respectively. The first and second modules 61 and 63 are separated by light barrier 25 to provide optical isolation between first and second modules 61 and 63.
Many optical proximity sensors include a metal shield, such as shield or housing 18 of the type shown in FIG. 1, to provide optical isolation between light emitter 16 and light detector or photodiode 12 so that undesired optical crosstalk between emitter 16 and detector 12 is minimized. See, for example, the Data Sheets corresponding to the AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES™ APDS-9120 Integrated Optical Sensors Preliminary Datasheet and the AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES™ APDS-9800 Integrated Ambient Light and Proximity Sensors Preliminary Datasheet, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein, each in its respective entirety.
Appreciable amounts of undesired crosstalk typically occur between light emitter 16 and light detector 12, notwithstanding the presence of barrier 25. Unfortunately, measuring or quantifying the amount of crosstalk in proximity sensors has proven to be a proposition fraught with substantial difficulty. What is need is an optical proximity sensor that is capable of accurately measuring or quantifying the actual amount of crosstalk that occurs between the light emitter and light detector sections thereof.